[Ext] Gmail Manager 0.6.4.1 - Manage multiple Gmail accounts

[DragonHawk]

... nor do I have to respect their apparently shody software

You might want to know what you're talking about before making statements like that.

Since Google doesn't publish APIs for most of the stuff GMail Manger does, GMM is forced to basically be something of a hack: It tries to fool Google into thinking it's a user with a web browser. When Google changes things, the author has to figure out how to adapt to the changes and get GMM to fool Google again.

At the same time, Google hosts all their stuff on a massive distributed system. Thousands upon thousands of computers, in dozens of data centers spread across the entire planet. They don't roll out software upgrades to everyone and everywhere at once. They do it in small chunks, staggering the rollout to keep the process manageable. When you connect to "mail.google.com", you're going into a load balancing system that might send your session to any number of different clusters. The end result is that one day you may get one computer cluster running the new version of the software, the next day you might get a different cluster running the older software.

Google has published a fairly detailed and very technical research paper that explains just how complicated the whole thing is: Modular Software Upgrades for Distributed Systems

If you can do better, let Google know; I'm sure they'd love to hire you.

[webgrunt]

DragonHawk,

I agree that putting this on the developer is unfair--Gmail Manager is a solid program that stopped working because Gmail itself changes, which is beyond the Gmail Manager programmers' control.

However, It does seem like the developer isn't all that interested in it. On the "Homepage" for Gmail Manager, the latest version is Version 0.5.7.1 which is from way back on 2/14/2009. There's no mention of the current problems people are having or the new version that fixes them.

I went ahead and made a donation, though, since I've been using this product for years and have been lax about making donations. Maybe it would help if more people did the same... I imagine it's hard to keep enthused about a project if there's little no return.

[llungster]

... nor do I have to respect their apparently shody software

You might want to know what you're talking about before making statements like that.

Since Google doesn't publish APIs for most of the stuff GMail Manger does, GMM is forced to basically be something of a hack: It tries to fool Google into thinking it's a user with a web browser. When Google changes things, the author has to figure out how to adapt to the changes and get GMM to fool Google again.

At the same time, Google hosts all their stuff on a massive distributed system. Thousands upon thousands of computers, in dozens of data centers spread across the entire planet. They don't roll out software upgrades to everyone and everywhere at once. They do it in small chunks, staggering the rollout to keep the process manageable. When you connect to "mail.google.com", you're going into a load balancing system that might send your session to any number of different clusters. The end result is that one day you may get one computer cluster running the new version of the software, the next day you might get a different cluster running the older software.

Google has published a fairly detailed and very technical research paper that explains just how complicated the whole thing is: Modular Software Upgrades for Distributed Systems

If you can do better, let Google know; I'm sure they'd love to hire you.

Actually I do know what I'm talking about, and thanks for telling me what I already know about them.

Since this problem first came to light some weeks ago, it has been an on-again, off-again problem, that, from my perspective and testing has been due to gmail, not gmm. Now you could say that my remark about "shody software" is a bit harsh, and it probably is. But the fact remains that someone over there is making changes over and over again - thus the continued changes in behavior from day to day. If you want to blame it on server inconsistency, that's still a bad thing. No matter how you slice it, it does not bode well for a product that a very larger number of users are using. If gmail was truly a beta product with a small number of users, it wouldn't be a big deal. The truth is that gmail is used by a very large number of users, some relying on it. While this problem relates to how it works with gmm and gmail itself remains fully operational, the fact that the problem is recurring (regardless of the root cause) is reason for concern.

Like I said already, I really can't bitch since it's free. And I do appreciate that it's free. I just don't have to respect what's happening regardless of the cause.

[sc00byd00byd00]

... nor do I have to respect their apparently shody software

You might want to know what you're talking about before making statements like that.

Since Google doesn't publish APIs for most of the stuff GMail Manger does, GMM is forced to basically be something of a hack: It tries to fool Google into thinking it's a user with a web browser. When Google changes things, the author has to figure out how to adapt to the changes and get GMM to fool Google again.

At the same time, Google hosts all their stuff on a massive distributed system. Thousands upon thousands of computers, in dozens of data centers spread across the entire planet. They don't roll out software upgrades to everyone and everywhere at once. They do it in small chunks, staggering the rollout to keep the process manageable. When you connect to "mail.google.com", you're going into a load balancing system that might send your session to any number of different clusters. The end result is that one day you may get one computer cluster running the new version of the software, the next day you might get a different cluster running the older software.

Google has published a fairly detailed and very technical research paper that explains just how complicated the whole thing is: Modular Software Upgrades for Distributed Systems

If you can do better, let Google know; I'm sure they'd love to hire you.

Actually I do know what I'm talking about, and thanks for telling me what I already know about them.

Since this problem first came to light some weeks ago, it has been an on-again, off-again problem, that, from my perspective and testing has been due to gmail, not gmm. Now you could say that my remark about "shody software" is a bit harsh, and it probably is. But the fact remains that someone over there is making changes over and over again - thus the continued changes in behavior from day to day. If you want to blame it on server inconsistency, that's still a bad thing. No matter how you slice it, it does not bode well for a product that a very larger number of users are using. If gmail was truly a beta product with a small number of users, it wouldn't be a big deal. The truth is that gmail is used by a very large number of users, some relying on it. While this problem relates to how it works with gmm and gmail itself remains fully operational, the fact that the problem is recurring (regardless of the root cause) is reason for concern.

Like I said already, I really can't bitch since it's free. And I do appreciate that it's free. I just don't have to respect what's happening regardless of the cause.

Sorry guys, couldn't resist ! FBLOL

[jcbaena]

I use this extension for a long time. But now, i have changed the password of gmail account.

In gmail i can login ok. Then I logout. I changed the pwd in gmm and gmm doesn't check the emails. In click, gmm opens webmail but does not login (the password appears because it is saved in ff).

¿what is the problem?

I want gmm checks the emais correctly and loggin automatically.

P.S: I have to use proxy with autentication, but this works fine before change the gmail pwd.

thanks on advance.

[zerkms]

today evening my gmail manager stops login too.
password doesn't changed.
after clicking manager icon gmail doesn't logged in...
so?

[substance]

The patch helped so that the normal Gmail accounts work, but it still doesn't work with the Google Apps accounts that used to work.

[tmlong]

All, I've submitted 0.5.7.5 to AMO almost two weeks ago and it is still waiting approval. At this point there isn't much more I can do but wait as I've tried emailing the reviewers to no avail. Thank you for your patience.

In the meantime please use the following fix:

http://longfocus.com/firefox/gmanager/releases/gmanager0575b2.xpi

- TL

[joojuuhip]

Thanks for the 0575b2 fix!

Like I posted with my previous user name (which I have forgotten),
my number one feature request for Gmail Manager 0.6 is better visual support for multiple Gmail accounts.



There is plenty of space to have multiple accounts information (number of new mail) visible at the same time at the bottom of Firefox page, next to each other horizontally.

This feature request has been made by numerous individuals many dozens of time in the 168 pages of this thread.

[tmlong]

Thanks for the 0575b2 fix!

Like I posted with my previous user name (which I have forgotten),
my number one feature request for Gmail Manager 0.6 is better visual support for multiple Gmail accounts.



There is plenty of space to have multiple accounts information (number of new mail) visible at the same time at the bottom of Firefox page, next to each other horizontally.

This feature request has been made by numerous individuals many dozens of time in the 168 pages of this thread.

The new 0.6 version does have support for multiple accounts on the toolbar/statusbar =) I'm still working out the kinks with it to work with the new Gmail changes that were affecting the 0.5 version.

- TL

[substance]

Thanks for the 0575b2 fix!

Indeed! That solved the Google apps problem for me

[DragonHawk]

I'm still working out the kinks with it to work with the new Gmail changes...

I'm guessing it would probabbly help if we knew if Google was finished working out the kinks in their changes, too.

[sc00byd00byd00]

Thanks for the 0575b2 fix!

Indeed! That solved the Google apps problem for me

Me too

[karifsmith]

Thanks for the 0575b2 fix!

Indeed! That solved the Google apps problem for me

Me too

w00t! Worked for me too! Thank YOU very much!!

[tmlong]

I'm guessing it would probabbly help if we knew if Google was finished working out the kinks in their changes, too.

Oh yeah, that would be nice but no telling when they will finish on their end... I'll just have to keep tweaking the code until everyone is happy =)

- TL